Page 122 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

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“I’ll be there soon.”

And that’s the moment.

The one where everything shifts again.

Because it’s not about safety.

Not about the mission.

Not about the threat.

It’s aboutwanting him here.

I grip the phone tighter.

“We’re at the Tavern,” I say.

“Trigger moved us.”

“Good,” he replies.

“That’s where you should be.”

More silence.

Then—

“Aspen.”

My name sounds different when he says it now.

“Yeah?”

“I’m coming back as soon as this is done.”

My breath catches.

“I know,” I whisper.

But what I don’t say is—

I need you to.

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